Katha Upanishad part 3: the chariot, and unity in diversity

 Hari Aum.

Let us continue with the study of the Katha Upanishad. Before we do this, it would be useful to remind ourselves of the teaching that Lord Yama has given Nachiketas so far. 

He has said that:

i) there are two paths that present themselves to every human being throughout life that lead to two very different destinations. One is the path of self-control, the path of dharma (adhering to righteousness/goodness). This path, known as the 'shreyas marga' in Sanskrit, leads one to experience the truth of one's true existence, the Self. 

The other path is the path of unrestrained sensual indulgence (or sensual slavery), the path of allowing oneself to become a victim of the impulses of the impetuous mind. This path blocks the realisation of the Self. It leads one to falsely believe that the body and mind are all that exists and that these alone are our true identiy; as these are mortal and must die one day, the loss of these produces grief and one suffers (and is reborn and dies again and again in accordance with the law of karma).

ii) the syllable Om not only represents but actually is, the Supreme Being (in the form of sound). This syllable can be used to access the Supreme, our true Self. Restraining the senses and concentrating the mind/meditating upon Om (or other mantra or name of the Divine as these are regarded as equal to Om according to the sages) will lead us to experience the Self within. 

This realisation, that our true nature is immortal and blissful, produces an extraordinary joy that transcends anything that the senses can offer. 

The wise therefore embrace the path of shreyas, meditate upon Om/the Supreme and attain this wisdom. The Self is birthless, deathless, omnipresent, exists in the hearts of all beings (therefore the sages advise us to respect all to the best of our ability).

Ok, so moving on to the next set of teachings.

Lord Yama tells Nachiketas the following:

i) The chariot:

Lord Yama uses the analogy of a chariot with horses and a rider to describe the various aspects of the human being.

He says the human body is similar to a chariot. It contains five senses likened to horses (these are ever restless and difficult to control). The mind is likened to the reins connected to the horses. The intellect is described as the charioteer, the one who holds the reins (mind) and commands the horses (senses) connected to the chariot (body). Within the heart of the chariot, seated behind the charioteer, is the owner of the chariot-- this is the soul, the Atman, the Self. External things that are perceived by our five senses (horses) are the roads upon which the horses travel. 

Lord Yama says that a person of wisdom, who has learned to control the mind, skillfully moves his/her chariot towards the Supreme (he calls it the 'supreme position of Vishnu' or Brahman). Here, the charioteer (intellect/spiritual heart/higher mind) is in control of the chariot and the journey is therefore successful (the path selected for the chariot is the shreyas marga).

In contrast, in the unwise one, of uncontrolled mind, the charioteer is unable to restrain the wild and restive horses. Such a one (under control of the senses and lower mind), he says, loses the power of 'viveka' (the ability to tell apart right and wrong, dharma and adharma). The chariot moves along the path of uncontrolled sensuality (the preyas marga, which is often associated with adharma) and the thus person remains within the realm of samsara (the cycle of birth and death) and the net of Lord Yama.

ii) the Self:

He goes on to say that a sharp and subtle intellect is required to recognise or 'see' the presence of the Self within. 

He states that it is by the power of the unseen, hidden, subtle Self, that the gross world exists and functions. He declares that the power of the senses to see, hear, touch, smell and taste, comes from the Self. In addition, our ability to perceive anything, be conscious of anything, be it in the waking state or the dreaming state, comes from the Self.

iii) the outer and the inner ways:

Lord Yama says that those who are unwise, who are unable to think of anything beyond the senses, seek only worldly pleasures in objects outside of themselves. Their minds are ever turned outwards. These people, he declares, do not recognise the Self within and thus fall into his net of death again and again. 

In contrast, he says that those who have cultivated wisdom, who are able to contemplate something beyond sense objects, seek the immortal. He says that they close their eyes and look inwards and eventually discover the Self within. Such people, he says, gain freedom from the jaws of death.

iv) perception: unity and multiplicity

Lord Yama further says that the wise recognise that one Self exists in all (animate and inanimate). Thus they are able to see the unity underlying the apparant external differences perceived by the five senses. (And, being conscious of the presence of the Self or the Divine in all things, such people will naturally approach these accordingly, with reverence, and live an ethical/dharmic life. Such an approach further cleanses the mind and eventually enables perception of the Self within.)

In contrast, he says the unwise only focus on the superficial differences perceived by the five senses. The unifying principle that exists in all things is completely missed by them. (And with this come ideas of high and low, superiority and inferiority, pride, greed, craving, anger, jealousy and other undivine qualities that lead one spiritually downward).

Lord Yama explains this point further using the analogy of water. He says that just as pure water when mixed with pure water becomes one with it, so also, the mind of the sage who 'sees' Brahman recognises his/her unity with It. 

However, just as rainwater falling onto a mountain peak runs down in various different directions, so also the mind of the unwise one, seeing only differences everywhere, runs in various directions after them (and misses the spiritual goal). 

So in summary, in this section Lord Yama discusses the unity that underlies the diversity of all existence. He tells us that the mind and senses should be controlled by the wise intellect/higher mind, and this enables one to perceive the Self within and thus escape the net of death (repeated rebirth and death in the mortal realms of samsara). 

He advises us to be careful, to avoid allowing the restless horses of the senses to lead us astray, to fool us by convincing us that only differences exist everywhere and that there is no unity. 

He teaches us to learn to truly 'see' and perceive both ourselves and the world around us, not merely via the limited faculty of the five senses (which are easily deceived anyway, e.g. like the mirage of water in a desert) but rather using our higher mind or intuition or spiritual intellect/heart. 

Sivananda and other gurus also advise their disciples to train the mind to truly 'see', not just with the physical eyes, but with the higher mind or the 'spiritual eye'/spiritual heart. They advise us to attempt to see the unity that is present in the diverse world around us, to reflect upo this, and then most important of all, to live a life based upon this truth. 

Such a life would naturally be based upon the yogic ethics of ahimsa (non-violence, kindness/compassion), satya (truthfulness) and brahmacharya (self-control). When we 'see' that the Self alone exists everywhere, we will be inclined to be kind to all, to speak and live by the truth and to remain in control of our senses as best as we can. 

We will find the motivation and inner strength required to tame the lower mind within ourselves, and control our inner demons. We will be able to gradually conquer those inner forces that prompt us to act against our higher nature, those forces that compel our souls to bow before the world of matter-- instead of expressing our spiritual freedom and rising above it. We will eventually be able to break free from the net of Yama and recognise our spiritual nature, that transcends and is independent of matter.

May that Self, which Lord Yama says exists within the heart of each one of us, guide and protect us, may the Self grant us true perception of ourselves and the world that we live in. May we thus live rightly and may our chariots reach their true destination-- may we travel on the shreyas marga, the path of dharma and bhakti/jnana, and recognise our true immortal nature in this very lifetime.

To be continued...

Om.

Salutations to Lord Yama and Nachiketas.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Katha Upanishad part 2: the syllable Om and the Higher Self

 Hari Aum.

In the previous post about the Katha Upanishad, we learned about the two paths of goodness and pleasure that face every human being on Earth. Every moment, we stand at a crossroads between these two. Every time we think, speak or do anything, we are moving along one of these two paths. 

The more aware we are of our thoughts and feelings, and the greater the strength of our connection with the divine within, the higher the chance of our being able to successfully walk the path of goodness (the Shreyas marga). 

The default path upon which the majority of people, including spiritual seekers, walk is the familiar path of pleasure (the Preyas marga)-- most beings naturally gravitate towards that which is pleasant (pleasing to the mind and senses) and move away from that which is painful or unpleasant. This is the norm in Nature, both for human beings and also other living beings on the planet. Nobody desires pain, everybody desires that which is pleasant and comforting to the senses.

However, the spiritual seeker is advised to gradually train the mind to rise above the constant seeking of pleasure. Equally, difficult though this may be, one is advised to accept that there will be a certain amount of pain in life, on all levels of one's existence (physical, psychological and even spiritual). Pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow go hand-in-hand in this material realm, that is the teaching of the scriptures including the Upanishads. And this is also the experience of most of us.

So, having reflected a little upon these two paths, let us study what Lord Yama says next as he continues to answer the question of Nachiketas about the truth of human existence. That Truth of course is the Higher Self. 

The entire discussion between Lord Yama and Nachiketas in this Upanishad involves a discussion about the Higher Self, what leads to It and what leads one away. The benefits and risks of both spiritual and material life are also described in detail.

Having heard about the two paths, Nachiketas asks Lord Yama to tell him about the Self. 

He says (as in the previous post, this is not a exact word-for-word translation though it very nearly is, but rather an attempt to convey the spirit of the words): 

"O Yama, tell me about That which is beyond all this (material realm). Tell me about That which is beyond the various pairs of opposites that exist here in this realm of time and space, That which transcends both virtue and vice, which is beyond the past and future, which is greater than this cause and effect universe. Tell me about the Self".

Lord Yama replies, saying:

"Nachiketas, I will tell you about the Self. (As the Self is difficult to describe in words, he tries to explain It in various ways)."

"That Self, Nachiketas, which is the essence of the Vedas, for whom people perform spiritual austerities and attempt to restrain their senses, that is described in a single word/syllable."

"That word is Om".

 "This word is the Self, the Supreme Being."

"One who knows (experiences the truth of) this word, feels that all desires are fulfilled (and thus experiences great contentment)".

(Note: The Self is also called Atman or Brahman in this and other Upanishads. These are words for the abstract, nameless, formless, transcendant Higher Self/God that manifests as this universe with names and forms).

"This word, Om, is the foundation/support (of all existence). It is the highest (there is nothing higher than it) and the most excellent."

"One who knows (experiences) it, truly rejoices in the realm of Brahman (experiences the Self Realised state of consciousness)."

Having told Nachiketas about the signficance of Om as being none other than Brahman/the Higher Self, Lord Yama continues to describe the Self.

He says:

"O Nachiketas, the Self is eternal. It is not mortal. It is not born, nor does It ever die."

"It did not originate from anything else, and nor does It produce anything else (It alone exists at all times; even the material realms, which appear to be different from It, are in fact, only That).

"The Self does not die when the body dies. It does not kill, not can it ever be killed (It is beyond the power of death)". 

"The Self is subtle, difficult to understand (with the intellect). It is smaller than the smallest, and also greater than the greatest."

"It exists within the hearts of all beings."

"That person, whose mind and senses are calm and peaceful, free of desire and grief, that one is able to behold the Self within."

"Though sitting down, It travels far. While lying down, It goes everywhere" (This indicates the all-pervading omnipresent nature of the Self).

"This Self cannot be attained by the intellect; it cannot be experienced by mere reading or discussion".

"That person, who has studied much (developed the intellect), but who engages in unethical conduct, whose senses are uncontrolled and whose mind is turbulent with many desires, such a one cannot attain the Self".

Stating that the existence of humans and demi-gods (such as himself) alike are trivial before the Higher Self, he declares that:

"The Self is only attained by the person whom It chooses". 

Note: and the yogis add that the Self chooses that person for attainment of Itself, who chooses It. In other words, It chooses to be attained by the seeker who ardently longs for It, who makes It the centre of one's life, who is determinedly intent upon It. The yogis say we are all able to realise the Self within, but the condition is that we need to really want It.

I will discuss the next portion of this Upanishad in the coming days in another post.

Om.

Salutations to Lord Yama and Nachiketas.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Katha Upanishad part 1: The two paths of goodness and pleasure

 Hari Aum.

I was reading the Katha Upanishad recently after a long time. This is perhaps one of the greatest Upanishads. It contains many valuable teachings related to Vedantic philosophy.

I thought it would be useful to reflect upon and discuss some of the key points here. As mentioned in my previous post introducing the Upanishads, I feel it is very important to take a practical approach when studying this subject. After reflecting upon the topics discussed in these texts, we need to consider whether we want to make any changes in our way of thinking, feeling and living. And if yes, we need to try and implement those changes. That would be the way to benefit from this study. 

So, let us begin.

The Katha Upanishad involves a conversation between a great teacher, a Guru (i.e. a knower of the Self or God, a Self-realised Being) and an extraordinary student who happens to be a child.

The Guru in this Upanishad, is Lord Yama, the demi-god (or deva) of death. His role in the material universe is to oversee the departure of souls from this Earth and other temporary realms of existence. To use a simple analogy, demi-gods such as Yama serve the Supreme Being, or God (who is known by many names) in the way that many ministers serve their leader, the Prime Minister.

Lord Yama and his 'team' of assistants (higher beings) are said to carefully monitor and record every single thought, feeling, word and action of every human being. Nothing escapes their watchful gaze. The reason they need to record all these (especially our actions) is to enable the law of karma to be applied. The law of karma states that joy follows noble deeds while suffering is produced by ignoble actions. Yama and his team ensure that our actions are carefully recorded and that each one of us receives a mixture of joy and sorrow in accordance with our own karma.

The student or disciple in this Upanishad is a relatively young child. We are not told his exact age in the book, but many assume that he could be around ten years old. His name is Nachiketas, and he is an extraordinary young boy. Extraordinary because, at such a young age, he has the key qualities required for a genuine spiritual seeker, including:  

1. Viveka-- this Sanskrit word essentially means intelligence and wisdom. It means the ability to see things clearly as they are, the ability to be balanced and calm, the ability to control the turbulent emotions, the capacity to distiguish between good and bad, right and wrong, the ability to have good judgement, to be discerning, to be spiritually wise (not a mere intellectual who has bookish knowledge alone).

2. Vairagya-- this Sanskrit word means one who has the understanding that it is the immortal that brings joy and peace in life, not the mortal. A simple translation is 'detachment' or 'dispassion'. 

People who have this quality, have a deep-rooted feeling within them that nothing and nobody on this Earth can grant them joy; they know somehow that joy exists within themselves. Therefore, they feel compelled to look within to discover it. They are spiritual seekers.

They know, deep within their hearts, that the Supreme, God, the Higher Intelligence (whatever one wishes to call Him/Her/That) alone can give them joy, that Being whose nature is joy or 'Ananda'. That Being who exists within each one of us. 

Therefore vairagya involves a longing for the Eternal, and a resulting natural turning away from the perishable. It involves seeking joy in God, not in sensual pleasure. This is the key concept discussed in this Upanishad as we will see ahead.

(Note: all true spiritual seekers will have some degree of viveka and vairagya. This is what leads us to take up spiritual life and keep going on the path. These are the qualities of the 'higher mind'. It is these qualities that help us to become aware of and gradually transcend the sensual tendencies of the lower mind).

So Nachiketas had a very strong higher mind with a firm foundation of both viveka and vairagya. This enabled him to understand the teachings of his Guru, Lord Yama, and benefit fully from them. In many ways, he is a role model for each of us when we read the Upanishads and the spirtual teachings of our own Gurus.

Having introduced the two key speakers in this Upanishad, let me now tell you the story. I am not attempting to provide a complete word-by-word translation (as that is already available online on many websites). 

I aim to tell you the story in brief, and to focus on reflecting upon some of the key teachings that apply to us in our daily lives, that can benefit us in our spiritual lives.

The Katha Upanishad opens with a man conducting a ritual in worship of God, a part of which involves giving gifts to worthy people. The man is Nachiketas' father. He wants to go to 'Svarga' in the afterlife, the celestial realm of the demi-gods, a temporary material realm of divine pleasures (this is not the same as Self-realisation, or attaining the eternal 'realm' of God or recognising one's immortal nature as one with God). 

Unfortunately, he is a somewhat miserly man. He gives away gifts that are worthless to the recipients (for example, cows that are incapable of producing any milk). His son, Nachiketas, observing his father, feels concerned for him (as any son might when seeing his father perform a negative karma that would produce suffering later on). In order to diplomatically draw his father's attention to the mistake he was making, Nachiketas asks him the question 'To whom will you give me O father?'. (As a child is obviously precious to a parent, by asking this question, he is implying that his father ought to give something of value as a gift).

His father ignored him on two occasions, but when Nachiketas repeated the question a third time, his father became enraged and declared 'I shall give you to death!'. 

Now, words once spoken have weight. In ancient times in particular, people would act in accordance to words that were spoken in order to uphold the principle of truth or Satya (which is regarded as the foundation of righteousness/dharma, and the basis of success in spiritual and material life).

Nachiketas, in accordance with his father's pronouncement, therefore went to the realm of the demi-god of death, Lord Yama (in other words, he seemed to die; this was temporary though, as we shall see).

Upon arrival at Lord Yama's divine residence, Nachiketas found that the demi-god of death was nowhere to be seen (was probably out on business!). He therefore decided to wait for him to return and ended up waiting three entire days without eating or drinking anything. When Lord Yama returned home, he was deeply concerned to discover a young child waiting at his home who was in a rather miserable, hungry and thirsty condition. 

There is a famous saying in Sanskrit (from another Upanishad) that declares:

 "Matru devo bhava, Pitru devo bhava, Acharya devo bhava, Athithi devo bhava". 

The literal meaning of this is "mother is God, father is God, teacher/Guru is God and guest is God".

This is based on the concept that one God exists in all, including the mother, father, teacher and guest. In other words, the idea is that the presence of God in all beings should be recognised and honoured, including in parents, Gurus and the guest who visits one's home.

In accordance with the 'athithi devo bhava' (the guest is God) principle, Lord Yama wished to make amends for not having made any arrangements to serve guests at his home while away. He apologised sincerely to Nachiketas and then said that, to compensate him for the poor treatment at his residence, he would grant him three wishes/boons or blessings (one for each day that he had been waiting). 

Nachiketas accepted Lord Yama's apology and the wishes. He then said that his first wish was that his father (whom he felt was probably greatly distressed since his departure from Earth) should be calm, happy and be free from anger at him when he returned to Earth. 

Lord Yama immediately granted this request made by Nachiketas for the welfare of his father. It is interesting to note that Nachiketas made the welfare of another his first concern, and asked for this before asking anything for himself. This concern for the welfare of others, including his ignorant, unfair and rather unethical father, demonstrates that he was kind and compassionate-- both very important qualities for success as a spiritual seeker.

For his second wish, Nachiketas asked Yama to explain a specific Vedic ritual of worship of God that was performed for the attainment of the heavenly realm of the demi-gods (Svarga). Lord Yama promptly explained this to him in detail. 

The  boy listened carefully and repeated back all that had been said to demonstrate that he had learned it well. Lord Yama was very pleased with his excellent pupil and declared this Vedic ritual would henceforth be named after him, i.e. be called the 'Nachiketas ritual'.

Now came the moment to ask for the third wish. Nachiketas paused, carefully considering his choice, and uttered the following words:

"O Yama, there is doubt as to what happens to a person after death. Some say he exists, while others say he does not. What is the truth? This is what I desire to know from you. This is my third wish".

Lord Yama was startled by this deeply philosophical question from a relatively young boy. 

The demi-god replied, saying:

"Even the demi-gods of ancient times have their doubts regarding this subject. It it not easy to understand. The subject (of the Self/Atman) is subtle. Do not insist upon my answering this question, Nachiketas. Ask for another wish!"

Nachiketas however was persistent (as many children can be when they sense there is something interesting to be discovered, though he was of course much more than a curious child!).

The boy therefore declared:

"O Yama, you have yourself said that even the demi-gods have doubts regarding this subject and that it cannot be easily understood. However, a wise teacher like you (who knows the subject well) is difficult to find. There surely is no other blessing comparable to this!".

Yama continued to try to wiggle out of Nachiketas' tricky question. He also decided to test the boy's ability to understand the subject at hand as the answer to this question could only be grasped by a subtle intellect, by a spiritually inclined mind (not a gross materialistic one).

The demi-god of death therefore said (the translation below aims to convey the gist of what is said and is not an exact word-by-word translation though it very nearly is):

"Boy, I can offer you wonderful things on Earth. You can have wealth in plenty, the company of extremely beautiful and charming women and long-lived children and grandchildren. I can grant you vast lands and much property. You can have plenty of cattle, elephants, horses and gold. You can enjoy the most enchanting music and dance of the celestial realms."

"If you wish, I can make you king of the entire Earth and grant you a long life of enjoyment of Earthly pleasures. What more can you desire boy! You only have to ask it of me, and it shall all be yours!". 

But Nachiketas, being wise, was not so easily fobbed off.

The boy said:

"O Death, all that you have offered is but temporary. They are not eternal. These Earthly enjoyments are extremely short-lived. One day, you shall come and take them all away. Then what will be left?"

"No, keep your wealth, women, music and dance to yourself. I shall accept nothing less than what I have asked for. I desire to know only the truth of the existence of the human being".

Lord Yama was secretly pleased. Here at long last, was a worthy disciple. It was not every day that Gurus like Lord Yama encountered a genuine spiritual seeker! (There is nothing more pleasing for a true Guru than a sincere disciple). Most beings he met seemed all too easily tempted away by a few material trifles. He therefore gladly accepted the boy's wish and answered him.

He began by saying:

"Listen then, O boy! There are two paths that appear before people during their lifetimes. These are the path of goodness, and the path of pleasure. These two differ widely in their final destination."

"The path of goodness is the path of spiritual ascent. It is the path of the soul. It leads to immortality. By walking this path, one realises one's true eternal nature as being one with God".

"The path of pleasure is the path of material dependence. It is the path of the downfall of the soul. It makes the soul dependent upon matter, and thus leads to it becoming trapped in the cycle of birth and death (samsara in Sanskrit)."

"These two paths present themselves at every moment before a human being. The one who calmly assesses them both and then chooses the path of goodness is wise. The one who chooses the path of pleasure is a fool."

"You have shown, boy, that you are a true seeker of wisdom. You were not tempted by the material enjoyments that I offered, those tempations that cause the fall of many a soul. You were able to ponder their limited value and thus renounce them all."

Lord Yama continued, saying:

"The Higher Self (or God) never reveals Itself to the fool obsessed with material wealth and pleasure. The fool lives thinking "This world is all that there is. There is nothing higher". Thus, such a one becomes subject to my power again and again (is reborn and dies again and again and thus suffers repeatedly)."

"The Higher Self (Atman) is a subtle subject indeed. Subtler than the subtlest. There are few who ask about this subject. Of those who ask and hear about it, few really understand."

"Rare is the teacher who knows the subject, and rare is the student who is able to truly grasp it."

"This subject is not understood by mere intellectual prowess or debate. It can be grasped only when taught by a teacher who truly knows (has experienced) it".

"The wise one, through concentration/meditation upon the Self, attains knowledge of That subtle essence, the Source of all joy, that is not perceptible to the eyes or senses, that is the support of the intelligence and is hidden within the body. Upon attaining this, one rejoices, having attained all that there is to be attained".

(Note: The Sanskrit term for the path of goodness is 'Shreyas' while the word for the path of pleasure is 'Preyas'. Spiritual Gurus advise their disciples to gradually embrace the path of Shreyas, the bright path leading to spiritual attainment, and slowly disentangle themselves from the path of Preyas, the lower path leading to material bondage".

I will conclude my first post on this wonderful Upanishad here. In following posts, I will narrate and discuss the remainder of the fascinating conversation between the great teacher, Lord Yama, and the wonderful student, Nachiketas.

Om.

Salutations to Lord Yama and Nachiketas.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Om Shri Gurave Namah.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

(P.S. The name of the demi-god of death, 'Yama', is similar to the name of yogic ethics or restraints that people are advised to follow, also called the 'yama'. There is a separate post on the subject of these yogic ethics).

New Year greetings and worship of Mother Meenakshi

 Hari Aum.

A very happy New Year to everyone. I hope your year has started well. Fingers crossed that this year is significantly better than the last few, both on an individual and on a global level.

One hopes that the pandemic does not revive itself in any significant way (we need to continue to be vigilant of course as this is unfortunately not yet over). One also hopes and prays that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is resolved peacefully. After the last few years, one feels wary of expecting a 'happy New Year' but we can at least keep our fingers crossed that there will be some improvement. 

The difficulties that we all face, both individually and globally, serve as a reminder of the vital necessity to attune ourselves to the Divine, to remain connected with the Divine. It really feels that, now more than ever, Divine grace is needed for humanity and our planet to survive the various crises that seem to be unfolding one after the other.

On this note, let us pray for our own welfare (as we can only help others if we ourselves are healthy and well) and that of all others. Let us recite mantras and prayers of our liking every day for this purpose.

I am currently enjoying my 'mantra holiday' i.e. my spiritual 'downtime' in between purascharanas. I am doing a mere one mala a day of the ashtakashara of Narayana. My main focus at present is worship of the Divine Mother in Her form as Lakshmi (as a prayer for health and general wellbeing). I am doing three malas a day of Her mantra which is suiting me very well at present. I feel generally soothed and nourished by this worship.

Just to mention, I randomly saw some green parrots in my garden a couple of days ago. This was rather unusual as they are not native to this country (their home is thousands of miles away in Asia). They were presumably brought here as pets and either released or escaped into the wild. 

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to see three of them with their bright green feathers and vivid red beaks sitting on a leafless tree in my wintry garden. As I am engaged in Mother worship these days, the parrots reminded me of a particular form of the Mother who is depicted as holding a parrot in one of Her hands. This form is of the Goddess Meenakshi, who is worshipped in Madurai in South India. I had briefly visited Her temple in 2014 and still remember its majestic appearance with beautifully decorated altars and columns.

I recalled that Mother Meenakshi was a form of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva, but could not recall much else about this aspect of Hers. I therefore took the opportunity to read up a bit about Her online. It appears that Meenakshi is the Goddess who bestows domestic peace, bliss and harmony (along with the highest spiritual wisdom and bliss of course). Her worship is said to soothe ruffled feathers in the family home, calm minds and generally bring harmony where there is discord. 

Unlike the Mother's fierce forms as Durga and Kali, Her form as Meenakshi is sweet, charming and delightful. She is depicted as being adorned in beautiful clothes and jewels, with a pleasant smile and holding a green parrot in Her right hand. The parrot is said to symbolise wisdom, love and domestic felicity.

I don't know about you, but most people I know face some level of discord on an almost daily basis in their lives (this may be at home, at work or both)! A bit of peace and harmony would therefore be most welcome for most of us. I therefore thought it would be a good plan to add a bit of Meenakshi worship to my current regimen of Lakshmi worship. 

In the past few days, I have discovered a host of mantras, prayers and slokas to Her and am presently dabbling in some of these (as I am currently on a 'mantra holiday' prior to starting the next purascharana in the coming weeks, I am not taking up any intense worship at present. I am sticking only to light and easy worship for now). 

Some of these prayers include the famous Meenakshi pancharatnam and the Meenakshi ashtotharam (please see below for links):

Meenakshi Pancharatnam in Sanskrit with English translation:

https://greenmesg.org/stotras/meenakshi/meenakshi_pancharatnam.php

A musical rendition of this stothram:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRBVZd78s1g

(Note: In Sanskrit, 'pancha' means 'five' and 'ratna' means 'jewel', so pancha ratnam means 'five jewels' or five verses in praise of the Goddess. This beautiful hymn was composed by the great Adi Shankaracharya)

Meenakshi ashtotharam:

(108 names of Mother Meenakshi)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO8ad5Y1hR8

This is an excellent resource of various Meenakshi prayers in Sanskrit:

https://sanskritdocuments.org/sanskrit/minakshi/

I hope and pray that Mother Meenakshi blesses this entire planet with some much-needed peace and harmony. With this in mind, I am planning to integrate some more regular Mother worship into my next purascharana of the Narayana mantra which I hope to start at some stage next month. (I am exploring doing some daily Lakshmi mantra japa along with the Narayana mantra; might also include some regular Meenakshi worship too).

Also, as in previous years, I would like to mention that the books I published a few years ago on Amazon (Kindle format) about the life of Lord Krishna described in the Bhagavatam will be available for free download for five days this month. 

In case you or anyone you know is interested, the dates for the free download will be Jan 14-18 inclusive starting from midnight PDT (in celebration of the auspicious Makara Sankranti festival which occurs during this period). The four books are available for download from here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vishnupriya-Devi/e/B07B95YQCV/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Once again, I wish all of you a very happy, peaceful and spiritually fulfilling New Year.

Om Shri Meenakshi Devyai Namah.

Om Uma Maheshvarabhyam Namah.

Om Shri Lakshmi Narayanaya Namah.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.